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In an effort to stem an ongoing cholera outbreak in Zimbabwe, AmeriCares has committed to doubling its delivery of water purification sachets in the coming days. With more than 53,000 reported cases and nearly 3,000 deaths, cholera has been spreading throughout Zimbabwe since the outbreak began in 2008. With few medical resources and dismal sanitation, families in Zimbabwe have almost no protection against the disease until the end of the rainy season in March.
AmeriCares is making a new delivery of more than 560,000 PŪR™ Purifier of Water sachets – enough to provide 10,000 families with safe drinking water for several weeks. AmeriCares teams with Procter & Gamble to deliver PŪR in order to provide safe drinking water to communities around the world. This will be AmeriCares second large delivery of PŪR in as many months. AmeriCares is coordinating in country with partner Population Services International (PSI) on this iniative.
Children are at high risk for cholera, and, sadly, it is often most deadly for them. Children suffer intensely from related dehydration and they become so dry that their little bodies cannot even produce tears. Zimbabwe’s child mortality rates are so high that more than one in ten children die before their 5th birthday – due in large part to preventable, infectious diseases like cholera.
AmeriCares partners report horrific conditions for many cholera patients. In large tents, they are laid on cots and are in near constant pain from violent abdominal cramping.
AmeriCares remains deeply committed to Zimbabwe. Since 1997, AmeriCares has delivered more than $25 million in humanitarian, disaster, medical and nutritional aid.
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